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Updated: May 25, 2026
Isolation and Characterization of Microvesicles from Peripheral Blood
Published on: January 6, 2017
Microvesicles: potential markers and mediators of endothelial dysfunction
Ming-Lin Liu1, Kevin Jon Williams
1Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA. Minglin.Liu@Temple.edu
Purpose Of Review:
Microvesicles (also known as microparticles) are small membranous structures that are released from platelets and cells upon activation or during apoptosis. Microvesicles have been found in blood, urine, synovial fluid, extracellular spaces of solid organs, atherosclerotic plaques, tumors, and elsewhere. Here, we focus on new clinical and basic work that implicates microvesicles as markers and mediators of endothelial dysfunction and hence novel contributors to cardiovascular and other diseases.
Recent Findings:
Advances in the detection of microvesicles and the use of cell type-specific markers to determine their origin have allowed studies that associated plasma concentrations of specific microvesicles with major types of endothelial dysfunction - namely, inappropriate or maladaptive vascular tone, leukocyte recruitment, and thrombosis. Recent investigations have highlighted microvesicular transport of key biologically active molecules besides tissue factor, such as ligands for pattern-recognition receptors, elements of the inflammasome, and morphogens. Microvesicles generated from human cells under different pathologic circumstances, for example, during cholesterol loading or exposure to endotoxin, carry different subsets of these molecules and thereby alter endothelial function through several distinct, well characterized molecular pathways.
Summary:
Clinical and basic studies indicate that microvesicles may be novel markers and mediators of endothelial dysfunction. This work has advanced our understanding of the development of cardiovascular and other diseases. Opportunities and obstacles to clinical applications are discussed.
Insights
Microvesicles are implicated as novel markers and mediators of endothelial dysfunction, contributing to cardiovascular diseases. Research highlights their role in vascular tone, leukocyte recruitment, and thrombosis, advancing disease understanding.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Medicine
Background:
- Microvesicles (microparticles) are released from activated or apoptotic cells and found in various bodily fluids and tissues.
- They are increasingly recognized for their roles beyond simple cellular debris.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review clinical and basic research implicating microvesicles in endothelial dysfunction.
- To explore their role as novel markers and mediators in cardiovascular and other diseases.
Main Methods:
- Advances in microvesicle detection and cell-specific marker utilization.
- Analysis of plasma microvesicle concentrations associated with endothelial dysfunction markers.
- Investigation of microvesicular transport of biologically active molecules.
Main Results:
- Specific microvesicle concentrations correlate with endothelial dysfunction (vascular tone, leukocyte recruitment, thrombosis).
- Microvesicles transport diverse molecules like ligands, inflammasome components, and morphogens.
- Pathologically generated microvesicles alter endothelial function via distinct molecular pathways.
Conclusions:
- Microvesicles serve as novel markers and mediators of endothelial dysfunction.
- This understanding advances knowledge of cardiovascular and other disease development.
- Clinical applications present both opportunities and challenges.